Customs agent arrested after going to East Point park for sex, police say he’s not the only one

EAST POINT, Ga. — East Point police say people going to Sykes Park for sex has become a growing problem.

East Point Police Chief Shawn Buchanan says the recent arrest of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent shows just how widespread the problem is.

“This is happening in the middle of the day, this arrest was made at 6:30 in the afternoon,” Buchanan told Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln.

Buchanan says the majority of the individuals arrested do not live within the city limits of East Point.

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“We’ve been put on some type of app on social media so now we’re known as a meeting space for this type of behavior,” he said.

Thursday, 37-year-old Garret Reinhart’s arrest marks a growing list of people arrested for meeting at Sykes Park to have sex.

“They’re committing these acts in public on picnic tables and we can’t have that,” Buchanan said.

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Buchanan says Reinhart was communicating with an undercover City of East Point police officer on a popular dating app. According to documents Channel 2 Action News exclusively obtained, Reinhart allegedly explicitly asked for a sexual favor, messaging " Hey, are you free to [expletive] me?”

Police say when Reinhart arrived at the park he was placed under arrest. The incident report says officers found condoms and lubricant on him.

Channel 2 Action News learned Reinhart has more than 10 years of service with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency.

Police say of the dozens of people who’ve been arrested, the majority are working professionals.

“Go to a hotel, do not come to our park,” Buchanan said.

Reinhart was charged with conspiracy and loitering.

A spokesperson with U.S. Customs and Border Protection released a statement to Channel 2 Action News on Saturday saying that Reinhart had been placed on administrative leave. The full statement read,

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer was arrested by East Point Police Department Georgia on October 12. The officer has been placed on administrative duties pending the outcome of the investigation.

CBP stresses honor and integrity in every aspect of our mission, and the overwhelming majority of CBP employees and officers perform their duties with honor and distinction, working tirelessly every day to keep our country safe. We take all allegations of employee misconduct on or off duty seriously and strives to be as transparent as possible regarding the release of investigative information to the public.

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